Joe Biden drops out of presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris

President Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the race against former President Donald Trump, ceding to unrelenting pressure from Democrats who said his declining abilities and poll numbers would drag down the party and lead to inevitable defeat in November.

The move upends the 2024 presidential race just weeks before early voting begins and leaves Democrats scrambling for a new ticket. Mr. Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the ticket.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Mr. Biden, 81, said in a letter posted on X. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling duties as president for the remainder of my term.

“For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.”